AGORA
“Empire”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Agora are a progressive metal band from Mexico formed in 1996, enjoying a twenty five year career which has seen the band perform at national and international festivals such as Viva Latino, Rock al Parque, and Fronterizo Fest, tour with the likes of Guns ‘N Roses, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Kiss, release five albums – ‘Segundo Pasado’ (2001), ‘Zona De Silencio’ (2005), ‘Silencio Acustico’ (2008), ‘Regresa Al Vertigo’ (2011), ‘Imperio’ (2020), and a live DVD ‘Vertigo Vivo’ (2014). The bands new (sixth) album ‘Empire’, released in 2023…

…is the first Agora album to be sung in English! Featuring lyrical themes surrounding virtual reality, co-dependent relationships, zombies, and a homage to species that are on the verge of extinction, ‘Empire’ is ten songs and fifty minutes long, exploding into life with the title song ‘Empire’ – a jack hammer style riffing pounding the ground hard! The band are quickly into their stride, planting one foot firmly on the monitor, echoing the sound of the traditional metal gallop.

An infectious and highly energetic start to the album, the band slow to a mid tempo thump for the power driven ‘I’m Just Venom’ – displaying so much reined in power that it’s bursting at the seams to get out! But Agora don’t let it out, maintaining the incredible foot stomping intensity from start to finish. And with a dramatic increase in pace, ‘In The Name Of Destruction’ roars off at top speed, slowing down to a meandering stroll as is the want of progressive metal – however, the band inject pace over the chorus break to make ‘In The Name Of Destruction’ a gear changing gallop of varying intensity! The intriguingly titled ‘190318’ is a thirty second mellow meander acting as an intro to the thunderous ‘Colossus’.

The heaviest hitting song heard so far, ‘Colossus’ doesn’t lose any of the phenomenal melodious intent of the album up to this point! Melodic progressive metal has never sounded so good, Agora pounding the ground hard with a sparkling mix of British grit and American finesse! So raise your fists high and punch the air to salute to a band delivering a very good piece of work – ‘Honor In Dying’ exhibiting the buzz style guitar sound of the iconic NWOBHM evolution. There is a slightly more menacing feel to ‘Honor In Dying’, but again the band retain the amazing melodious intent that’s been present ever since the album began! Not to mention the sky high infectious level, simply out of this world! Spreading their wings, the band fly over the hard rock genre for ‘Immortal Dream’, a mellow soft rocker that’ll attract rock fans to the bands music too – Agora widening their musical realm to an even wider audience! ‘Immortal Dream’ is also hymn-like in nature, featuring a subtle anthemic vibe which will have listeners, fans and followers nodding their heads in delight.

Adding an atmosphere of eerie, ‘Infinity’ is a creeping, crawling, slow waltz that emphatically builds the tension level to a dramatic peak, and then boom – the band hit listeners with a terrific tirade of razor sharp riffs that are gonna cut deep! Very deep! And still the band maintain the incredible intensity of the album, an unbroken streak that’s keeping everyone hooked. Tightly! And with a bruising nature and ferocious pace, ‘When Honor Ends’ is a bustling blend of NWOBHM guitars and modern day progressive metal – the band delivering an old school come new school metal anthem for their masses of fans. And the infectious level has just zoomed right off the fucking charts! The final song on the album ‘Virtual Reality’, clocks in at eight and a half minutes in length, making it the longest song on offer – and what a song! From an eerie intro to a scary build up to an emphatic crescendo and into a majestic swagger, the band are standing tall with heads held high – ‘Virtual Reality’ parading an elegance and grandeur not heard previously. A jaw dropping ending to a very good album.

Overall, a melodious romp of metal with heavy progressive leanings, ‘Empire’ is an attractive and infectious listen.

TRACKLIST

Empire
I’m Just Venom
In The Name Of Destruction
190318
Colossus
Honor In Dying
Immortal Dream
Infinity
When Honor Ends
Virtual Reality

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